In my Goju class the other day we worked on techniques that were good on the inside. The elbow is a tool that everyone should keep ready to bust out in self-defense.Lets face it in tight spaces one needs all the "fight stopper" techniques at ones disposal.If you train your core right the elbow to the head can be a devastating technique that can save your bacon in a tight spot.This is a technique that seems simple, but one must link the whole torso with the lower body to get the power to make it work best.Being light on your feet is great for reactions and dodging techniques, but when inside one must set their feet to link the whole body. This way the elbow strike can do the most damage. I was just wondering if many of you out there trained using your elbows?

We trained them a lot in kenpo, as part of our self defense techniques, but didn't use them much in sparring. I do train them frequently on the heavy bag. They can also be useful from medium distance, as Urijah Faber showed against Mike Brown in their second WEC fight. Jon Jones in the UFC is also very good with elbows, particularly spinning ones.

_________________________"In case you ever wondered what it's like to be knocked out, it's like waking up from a nightmare only to discover it wasn't a dream." -Forrest Griffin

Elbows are definitly a SD weapon. They aren't easy to work into sparring. "Sorry I didn't mean to crack the side of your head with my elbow." I guess I'm just not that hard core. I'm suprised that the elbow isn't utilized more in MMA.Remember that Canadian guy who was in the UFC?I think his name was David Louazo or something like that. I'm telling you that guy could really open you up with his elbows.Whew! That looked painfull.

Mark, I hear you about using elbows in sparring. I generally don't use them either, since they are so hard to control. They do use elbows quite frequently in MMA, but mostly in the clinch or on the ground. Faber and Jones are some of the few that can use them from a distance effectively.

_________________________"In case you ever wondered what it's like to be knocked out, it's like waking up from a nightmare only to discover it wasn't a dream." -Forrest Griffin

Elbows are probably the things I focused most on in my training. All sorts of them. The legs are definitely important but what's also important is getting the ''same feel'' as if your punching most people who use an elbow strike have their elbows ''too far out'' the motions are wide without providing power so in that sense the torso comes to play as well but it's like anything else really if you can throw a powerful straight punch you already have 70-90% of the mechanics for an elbow strike of almost any kind.

Elbows are probably the things I focused most on in my training. All sorts of them. The legs are definitely important but what's also important is getting the ''same feel'' as if your punching most people who use an elbow strike have their elbows ''too far out'' the motions are wide without providing power so in that sense the torso comes to play as well but it's like anything else really if you can throw a powerful straight punch you already have 70-90% of the mechanics for an elbow strike of almost any kind.

Yes. Keeping it tight is a must.Finally I've found a good use for my boney elbows!!!

but one must link the whole torso with the lower body to get the power to make it work best.Being light on your feet is great for reactions and dodging techniques, but when inside one must set their feet to link the whole body. This way the elbow strike can do the most damage.

When I first started out, I had the tendancy to only use my upper body strength for elbow strikes. These days my core is much stronger than then, and that, along with better hip rotation, makes it a quicker movement that comes with increased power. Also I find that keeping the elbow closer to the body when striking, as opposed to flaring it out, allows me to get my lats into it and really put my legs into it as well. Same principle as throwing a hook. It's a strike that should incorporate the whole body because as you're rotating out with your elbow, the opposite side of your upper body is pulling (rotating) away, which creates an unbelievable amount of force. Elbow strikes are part of our training in every class, and many of our forms incorporate them as well.